


Breaking Down

by NathTE



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Action, Angel Wings, Angst, Blood and Violence, Brotherly Bonding, Brothers and Sisters - Freeform, Drama, F/M, Family Bonding, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Humor, Loss, Minor Character Death, Multi, Reveal, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Temporary Amnesia, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-04 18:50:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14026515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NathTE/pseuds/NathTE
Summary: It all started with a calling he didn’t felt in eons. He would ignore, he wasn’t that anymore. He wasn’t His soldier anymore.But when his brother stumbles back into his life, he can’t stop thinking something is really, really wrong. He wasn’t supposed to be there if only his brother would remember what happened he would be back to what he was. He would go away.Or maybe not. He shouldn’t remember anything. He missed his brother. He missed his twin.He missed Michael.But war is knocking at their door.





	1. Not now, not ever

**Author's Note:**

> This story started to be written before episode 3.16, so I ignore everything from “Infernal Guinea pig” and “Let Pinhead Sing!”. It will diverge completely from the cannon from there (all happened until episode 3.15), but I can use some things from the episodes in the future if it fits the plot.
> 
> Some warnings: 
> 
> 1) This story will have a lot of swearing and violence, I’m not so sure it will fit Canon Typical violence, or I will be heavier on that, so I am tagging it anyway. 
> 
> 2) I was raised as a Catholic, but I will completely disregard this here in this story in my lore of the Haven, Hell, Angels, Demons etc. I will follow a lot of what the series had already put for us, but I will add my two cents to that (actually, I will probably do that in all of my Lucifer stories). And besides, I, personally, have my problems with religion. 
> 
> 3) I did my research about the story of the Lucifer Morningstar from the comics, but I’m also not following their narrative either. I just used to understand the character and work this idea of mine better.
> 
> 4) If you have any problem with people that have problems with religion or find it sensitive to explore it in a story like that, I recommend you not to read. 
> 
> 5) I, for now, just have a general idea of what I want for this story, and I just decided I wanted to put this first chapter out there. Just let you know this will take a little while to be updated again, and I hope then I have a clearer idea of what I want with this. For now, I’m going to concentrate on my fluffy series ALMAT and write this one in between.
> 
> So, let me know your thoughts at the end! ;)

It was very uncommon to encounter Lucifer that way, disheveled. His hair tousled because of the multiple times he had passed his hand on them in the last couple of hours, his expensive social shirt all wrinkled with multiple buttons open, his sleeves rolled until his elbows. His jacket discarded without much care on his couch. All signals of his worry.

 

And it wasn’t something related to his pursuit of a way of flipping his Dad a bird by killing Pierce, or the Detective stubbornness of accepting the truth about him, or even his problems with Amenadiel. No, it was related to that feeling of dread he has been dealing all day. Something he hasn’t felt for eons.

 

It was an uncomfortable feeling, like something extremely heavy was settled on top of his heart, slowing its beats, with, sometimes, overly painful squeezes. His stomach was in a knot, with a nauseating feeling climbing his throat. It was difficult to keep his cool during all day and that case he was working on with the Detective. He didn’t lie, and he would love to talk about all his problems with anyone that wanted to listen, but there were things the Devil never spoke about.

 

And this feeling was one of them. Because it meant just one thing. One thing he would deny for the rest of his immortality, and as much as he could. Deep down, a tiny part of him, was still His soldier, His son.

 

Lucifer drowned the amber liquid that was in his cup, and for the first time, the alcohol didn’t have its soothing effect on him. In fact, he could feel the expensive and rare bourbon revolt inside his stomach and claw its way up to where it came from. But he was the Devil, and he didn’t get sick, his pride wouldn’t allow it. He gulped down and forced his stomach to cooperate.

 

It would pass, all that would pass, he wouldn’t have to worry about it. Nothing would happen, not even his Dad. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes.

 

“Not now, not ever, Dad.”

 

Opening his eyes that were flashing a different color, not that glowing red eyes he used to have before he lost his Devil Face. No, it was something completely different altogether.

 

* * *

 

 

It took weeks for that sensation to die down. Weeks in which he avoided Amenadiel like a plague. The older angel, apparently, was feeling the same sensation and he wanted to know if Lucifer was feeling the same.

 

After Lucifer initial confession, Amenadiel was keen on making the Devil investigate what was going on. But he… He attending to some Heaven-sent thing? Never. Never again. He played his role for millennia for what? For still being punished with something he desperately wanted, but couldn’t have? His thoughts floated to Chloe at that moment.

 

So, his Father or whoever was sending this thing could sit and wait, because he wasn’t coming for them.

 

His refusal in doing what his brother suggested ended up in another fight between them. A fight that made Lucifer ignore all attempts of Amenadiel to mend things again.

 

And now that that sensation was finally gone things would come back to normal. Yes, he was relieved. Only because he was ignoring that hollow sensation in the pit of his stomach.

 

No. Everything was back to normal. And nothing, nothing will change that.

 

“Not now, not ever, Dad.” He mumbled to himself.

 

* * *

 

 

“Lucifer, we have a case.” It came the Detective’s voice as he answered his phone.

 

“Hello to you too Detective” he purred and grinned when he heard her sigh. “I will be on my way, just text me the address.” He kept smiling as he could imagine the Detective’s face.

 

“See you there” came her answer as he was already entering his elevator, all ready for the day.

 

He grinned and placed his phone back in his jacket pocket, easing some wrinkles that stubbornly decided to stay while he walked to his Corvette. And a few minutes later he was parking near an abandoned house in one of the suburbs of the city.

 

The CSI was already there as well as Ella, he could see her van parked a few meters away, and all the patrols and officers setting the perimeter around the house. He spotted Chloe with ease, her blond hair was shining under the sun of Los Angeles, and her blue-grayish eyes were looking attentively at the Officer that was reporting to her what they found.

 

He walked to her in his usual confident strides, hands inside his pockets as he cocked his head to one side when he captured the last few bits of what the first responder was telling her.

 

“No identification was found, and the body is heavily beaten up, with multiple lacerations. No weapon was found either, but we were still looking around.”

 

“Thank you for your work, Hollins.” She answered and turned to her partner when the officer resumed his duties. “We should look inside, for what people told me the conditions of the body are not good. Can you handle it?” She asked with a small hint of a tease.

 

Lucifer snorted. “Of course, I can handle it. I’ve seen worse, Detective.” He said dismissively, earning a roll of eyes from Chloe.

 

“Hm-hum, in Hell.” She said ironically while walking through the front door.

 

“Exactly, Detective.” He said beaming, earning another snort from the woman.

 

Although the house was abandoned, it wasn’t for too long, it was still possible to see the walls' paintings and shadows of portraits where they should be hanging on them. The windows were still mostly intact, and nothing appeared to have been broken or vandalized, yet.

 

Chloe led the way to the back of the house, passing beside a flight of stairs and finally walking to a big living room devoid of any furniture, only the officers, and CSI. Ella was crouching close to the body that was placed faced down, a mess of blood, dark curly hair and white clothes, he had the same height as Lucifer as what could be seen.

 

“What we have here, Ella?” Chloe asked as Lucifer started walking around.

 

“This dude here definitely wasn’t killed here. For all the mess this body is, this place here is too devoid of blood, I never saw so many cuts and bruises on a body like this one. Shapes I can’t even think how to explain either.” Lucifer was hearing the conversation while he still looked around, he didn’t know why, but he quite didn’t feel like looking at the body, yet.

 

He noticed the lack of splatters of blood and signals of a fight like miss Lopez had pointed out. When he was passing close to a window so tall it reached the ceiling he noticed a shining coming out from a particularly big gap between the woods in the floor. He squatted and moved his long fingers inside the gap fishing whatever was shining.

 

At that moment Dan entered the room while sighing heavily.

 

“I’ve been talking with some people that live in this area, they said that no one lived here since the death of the owner and their children fight in court to decide what to do with the house. They haven’t seen or heard anything yesterday that could indicate the time the body was left here.” He closed his notepad and approached Chloe and Ella.

 

Lucifer’s fingers closed around what he was looking for and he pulled the object up. When the light caught the silvery band and the impossibly white stone encrusted in the band Lucifer’s breath caught in his throat. He barely registered the order Chloe gave to roll the body over, so they could see the other side and finally have a look on the face of the victim.

 

The Devil’s eyes were glued to that ring that was identical to his, except for the white stone. That was impossible. It couldn’t be.

 

Not now… Not ever.

 

He turned around in time to catch the surprised looks of his three friends. Chloe gasped, Dan swore, and Ella squeaked. In unison, they all looked at him with big eyes ranging from disbelief to sorrow.

 

He slowly got up and walked where the body was laying, each step sounding like a death sentence while gripping the ring with all his strength, imprinting the ring in the palm of his hand. When he stopped close to the body and looked at that face, at the identical face of his twin brother, he left a strangled sound come out of his mouth opening his hands in shock. The ring fell with a thud.

 

He didn’t know how he ended up kneeling, but he was there, desperate hands roaming around his brother bloodied body. The white ring was forgotten by his side.

 

And all that came to his mind was that that was impossible. It couldn’t be.

 

_No…_

_No…_

_NO!_

 

“L-Lucifer”

 

He grasped his brother’s tunic and with a trembling but commanding voice he spoke.

 

“Do not dare to die, Michael, or I will drag your ass from the Silver City!” His voice broke at the end and he could feel a small hand on his shoulder.

 

“Lucifer”

 

He shook the body harder. “Do you hear me you fucking bastard!?”

 

“Lucifer!”

 

He ignored the hands trying to pull him away, all he could see was the face, his face, all bloodied.

 

That wasn’t possible. He wasn’t supposed to be there in the first place. He couldn’t be there. He shook the body again. He didn’t notice more people entering the room because of the commotion. He didn’t care.

 

“MICHAEL!” He screamed, brokenly and desperate.

 

_Father, no… Please, no._

 

Then with a forceful gasp for air and a cough that sent blood on his face, his brother came back to him, with brown eyes identical to his opening to stare at him a little bit unfocused.

 

“Sama… Sam… Help…” Came the broken voice, the same tone, the same accent. Michael’s eyes rolled back again as he fell unconscious, this time his chest moving up and down as he breathed, raggedly, but breathing.

 

“That’s… That’s impossible. He was dead!” He heard someone speaking, but all he could think was his older twin brother laying there, he wouldn’t hold for much longer.

 

He had to do something.

 

“Call the ambulance!”

 

At that he turned around, locking eyes with a teary-eyed Detective.

 

“No, no ambulance. They can’t do anything for him.” He said, his voice sounding so far away.

 

“But Lucifer, we have to. He is going to die otherwise.” She answered, in a very soft voice.

 

“No!” He turned around again grasping his brother’s hand, where the ring was supposed to be and grabbed it from the floor, placing it on the finger it was supposed to be.

 

_Something._

_Do something!_

 

“Lucifer, please…”

 

He didn’t care, he hated it, but he needed it. He didn’t know what more to think and feel, he just couldn’t let it happen.

 

Without putting any more thought he unfurled them, his wings. He barely heard the gasps and screams, all he could hear was his brother’s words inside his head.

 

_Help… Help… Help…_

 

Michael never asked for help. Never.

 

He grabbed a handful of feathers and pulled them out, yelping in pain. Hot red blood dripped a little from some places he pulled his fathers off and placed them all on top of Michael's body, he grabbed more and repeated the process. Hoping. Praying it would work.

 

* * *

 

From the moment they flipped the body around to see her partner’s face in the corpse, and then watch Lucifer’s breakdown when he saw that person. His brother. His twin brother. Everything came rolling downhill. The last logical thing that happened then was that man being Lucifer's twin brother because after that all that happened was madness.

 

A dead person woke up, mumbling, calling Lucifer Sam. Sam? And then her partner produced wings. WINGS! Immense, beautiful, white wings that seemed to glow with their own light.

 

That was impossible.

 

It wasn’t possible.

 

It shouldn’t be.

 

“Oh my fucking God…” Ella spoke grabbing her necklace in her hands. “He is no method actor.” Chloe looked at her, seeing awe and fear in the eyes of the forensic expert. She wasn't the only one seeing that.

 

And it came rushing to Chloe’s mind all conversations she had with Lucifer, all the strange things he could do. His wings, his distress, his fear. He was an angel… He was the Devil.

 

“Chlo” came the chocked voice of Dan, in her other side. “Tell me we entered some illegal drugs’ laboratory and we are all tripping in some weird shit acid because this is too…” He cursed. “This is impossible.”

 

“I wish I could…” She answered uncertainly when she saw her partner grab feathers from his wings and pulls them out and desperately place them all over his brother. An angel too… Michael?

 

When Lucifer finished putting the feathers on top of his brother they started to glow, faintly at first, but then it was the most blinding white light she had ever seen. Chloe hissed and put her arms in front of her eyes. When all the light subsided, she left her arms fall and she looked at where the body…. Angel was and she was shocked by what she saw. The once bruised and almost dead person, thing, whatever, was replaced by a completely healed Lucifer look-alike. But still unconscious.

 

Without knowing what more to do, still confused and utterly shocked, she stepped ahead, approaching the still kneeling form of Lucifer. His wings twitching slightly.

 

“Lucifer…” She called, not even recognizing her voice.

 

Way too fast he turned his face at her, and she saw when things dawned on him, and a look of pure horror struck his brown eyes, his wings folding behind him in a swift move.

 

* * *

 

He closed his eyes when the healing power of his feathers started to work and when all the clarity was gone he looked down where his brother was still laying. Despite being still unconscious, Lucifer knew Michael was better. His breathing was normal, and he could feel the strong beatings of his brother's heart while holding his hand.

 

And for the first time since he saw his brother laying on that wooden floor, he felt his body relax, all the tension and adrenaline leaving his body, leaving just his heart thumping fast in his chest. But he was brought back to reality when the soft voice of Chloe spoke behind him. Way too fast he turned around and looked at her blue-grayish eyes filled with tears, confusion, and a hint of fear and shock. He finally noticed what he did.

 

He looked around in horror seeing police officers and CSIs alike looking at him with awe and fear, some with weapons drawn and pointed at him. Ella was still clutching her cross and Detective Douche… Dan was looking at him in disbelief.

 

That wasn’t supposed to be like that. Him, with his twin brother by his side, his wings on full display. It shouldn’t.

 

Not now. Not ever.

 

 

 

 


	2. Upside down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Devil had so many things passing through his head, but his brother was in the forefront of all. Had that call he had some weeks prior anything to do with Michael’s appearance in Los Angeles? What could this possibly mean?

The first thing Chloe noticed was how Lucifer’s eyes traveled around the room, desperately looking for a way out. She would too if she had most of the officers pointing guns at her. His wings twitched as if ready to form a shield around him and his brother, she couldn’t blame him either. The tension around the air and all those people looking at him with fear and awe were overwhelming even for her.

 

She gave one step ahead bringing his attention back to her, she saw the fear growing inside his brown eyes and she felt her heart constrict. It was he partner there, her best friend, that never, ever, lied to her. She lifted her hands with her palms turned to him and gave him a half smile.

 

“Is okay Lucifer, no one is going to hurt you.” The Detective said while approaching him slowly, never leaving his eyes. “Just look at me, is okay.” This time she gave him a bigger and more truthful smile. It appeared to have some effect because his tense figure relaxed just a bit.

 

But it was broken when someone took a harsh breath intake, and someone pulled the safety pin of the gun, the sound echoing in the silence of the room, increasing the tension a tenfold. Chloe resisted her will to turn to whoever did that and glare. She kept her eyes trained on her partner was alerted once again, one of his wings half unfolded bending on top of his brother.

 

“Lucifer…” She said again, and his eyes turned back to hers. “No one is going to hurt you.” She said punctuating each word. Praying that someone would understand when she spoke them.

 

Dan that was observing the situation still slightly dumbstruck understood the vailed orders under Chloe’s soft voice and quickly spoke.

 

“Lower your weapons,” he signaled with his hands at the same time “it is Lucifer guys, the same Lucifer we’ve been working for three years.” His tone assumed a more serious note. Lucifer never hid his identity, none of them wanted to believe. And he knew the guy. He was a complete bastard when he wanted to, but he cared, he saved his ex-wife life more than once and he saved his daughter’s too. And now was his time to pay for all that. Trusting the guy. Because Lucifer was many things, he could even be the actual Devil, but he wasn’t evil.

 

Maybe they all got him wrong like he did once.

 

Most of his comrades looked at him confused, but with his strict stare, all lowered their weapons, safety pins back in place.

 

By his side, Ella was still clutching her cross, and she was mumbling under her breath, her eyes never leaving Lucifer’s wings. He could understand that. Those impossibly white wings that shone so brightly seemed to attract all the stares to them, imbuing such a feeling of belief and glory. 

 

That was so insane.

 

Chloe breathed in relief and kept approaching her partner, that even with all weapons lowered kept the same position, as if too afraid to move.

 

“Lucifer” she called him again and his eyes answered as quickly, looking directly at her blue-grayish ones. “It’s okay, no one is going to hurt you or your brother…” She gave a few more steps and was in front of him.

 

He looked up at her, his lips trembling a bit, his eyes were showing all that was passing to him. His fear, his sadness, his anger, his uncertainty. But all Chloe could think was that she was a bad friend. Why couldn’t she see that all those things she associated with delusions were the truth? The answer came flashing into her mind. Because she always buried things under a pile of logic. She needed the “eggs”. She almost, almost, laughed at her stupidity.

 

Chloe felt when one of the tears she was holding spilled and came running down her cheek. She saw when confusion was added to the mix of emotions swimming in the deep brown pools that were Lucifer’s eyes, but she didn’t dwell much on that as she also kneeled and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his neck.

 

Strangled sobs climbed her throat as she left herself to cry for all the things she refused to believe, and how that has probably hurt him. Her partner. Her friend. She cried more when she felt his arms timidly circle her body, pulling her closer. With his head also buried into her neck she could feel his tears wet her skin.

 

He was finally consumed by all the feelings of that day. Because when he left his house earlier that day he never expected so much to happen. And all that Chloe could do was gently move her hands up and down his back. Both consumed by sorrow.

 

* * *

 

 

Ella was still in shock, she could feel all she knew tremble and tumble down inside her. Lucifer was the actual Lucifer. How could have she missed that?

 

She ignored those voices inside her head for long enough to know the answer.

 

The forensic expert was giving in to her freak out. All things she said to Lucifer and things he said to her were passing in the forefront of her mind, all gaining a new meaning and colors as she couldn’t take her eyes from the huge wings behind her friend.

 

What he wanted here? Why was he talking to them? Why them at all?

 

She started to breathe in shallow and quick breaths, her vision starting to close around her, her head pounding and her heart thumping so fast she could feel it making its way out of her chest. It was the beginning of a panic attack.

 

But as she felt her knees start to give up she felt two hands held her in place and the warm blue eyes of Dan enter her narrow camp of vision.

 

“Ella, breath…” He said soothingly, breathing with her. “Yes, like this, in and out…” he kept breathing with her until she finally felt her heart slow down, her head stopped throbbing, and her vision getting back to normal.

 

“Dan… He is…” She said, her hand still clasping her cross like it was a lifeline.

 

“I know… But he still is Lucifer. Chloe’s eccentric partner.” He said with certainty, what made Ella pause.

 

All the flashes of memory stopped, and she looked at Dan, seeing that he wasn’t afraid, nothing had changed. Although it had. Lucifer was still Lucifer, that tall guy that have the best hugs but didn’t know how to give them, the guy that always did something thoughtful without noticing, the guy that was always ready to protect those he cared about.

 

He was Devil, yes, but it wasn’t like he lied about his identity. He always told them who he was. He never lies. He just plays with the truth, he bluffs, she remembered their little trip to Las Vegas and Candy. It wasn’t her also that said that the Devil was just misunderstood? Why was she freaking out then?

 

A smile appeared on her lips when things started to calm down in her mind. He was their Lucifer.

 

“He is just our Lucifer,” she said, and this time without any doubt in her mind.

 

“Exactly!” Dan nodded in approval. “Just think like that and all will make some sense.”

 

Ella nodded, feeling way better than she was before because all she had to do was to think about all the dork things their Lucifer did, to see the Lucifer they knew. Not someone else imagery of the Devil. As soon as her mind calmed down completely she remembered where they were.

 

“Shit! Dan, how are we going to explain this to Pierce? Fuck!” She started to panic again, for a whole different reason.

 

“I know, I know…” Dan sighed. “We have to say the truth, half of the officers saw it. We can’t hide it. But we can take him out of here, him and his brother.” He let go of her and places his hands on his waist. “Go to your van, we are going to transport the unconscious angel…” He stopped and laughed because then he remembered about Amenadiel, he was an angel too. Ella eyed him with worry. He shook his head and got back on track. “I will handle things here and I will tell Chloe and Lucifer, and then I will follow you.”

 

At that Ella nodded and with one last look to Lucifer and his wings she exited the crime scene, or ex-crime scene, and made her way to her van.

 

* * *

 

 

Dan never expected that would have a day he would have to do something like that. He commanded for the officers to close the scene and grab all that was taken as evidence to the precinct. Minus the body, of course. And then sent all of them to do other chores.

 

He never received so many puzzled stares in his life, but for now was the best he could do. It was impossible to hide what happened there with so many eyes, and policemen and women loved a gossip like any other human group.

 

Detective Espinoza shook his head and sighed, finally approaching the couple in the center of the room. They had stopped crying when he was halfway through convincing the other cops to move along with his plan of action and were at that moment in their own world. He had witnessed things like that too many times. Whether things worked or not between them, they still had that capacity to enter in their own world where only the two of them existed.

 

Chloe was gently caressing Lucifer’s face, while the Devil was looking intently at her, they were speaking in whispers. What Dan didn’t know was that the Detective was asking forgiveness to Lucifer for not believing, while the Devil himself was asking sorry for taking so long to show her the proof she needed.

 

Dan felt a little bit uncomfortable in interrupting them, but he had to get them out of there before anyone else appeared. He didn’t want to have to explain anything now. Because he could foresee all the headache he will have when he got back to the precinct.

 

He wasn’t thrilled by the prospect. No one bit.

 

So, putting aside any other reservations he approached them both and cleared his throat, watching with certain amusement when both parties jumped in surprise.

 

“Sorry to interrupt, but I think is for the best that we get out of here. I don’t know if anyone else is coming here and honestly, I don’t want to risk it.” He said quickly and before Lucifer could interrupt him. He had that face that meant he had a clever remark.

 

Chloe looked around and nodded. “Yes, you are right. Is better we move.” She rose from the floor and patted her pants, trying her best to not look in the direction of both Dan and Lucifer. “I think that if the three of us help, we can get him out of here fast.”

 

Lucifer that had moved as well spoke. “No need Detective, I can do it myself.”

 

At those words, both humans looked at him, in time to see him rolling his shoulder and the wings disappearing into the thin air.

 

“What the fuck!?” Dan said surprised and before Lucifer could move he was behind him passing his hands where the wings were supposed to be.

 

Chloe was surprised herself, but she wasn’t going to make fool of herself passing hands like a crazy behind Lucifer.

 

“They aren’t here anymore, Daniel,” Lucifer said with uncharacteristic flat tone. “They can be stored in another plane, so no worries, no one else is going to see them.” He said while moving and picking up his brother from the ground with apparent no problem and started walking. “We should move, don’t you think?” He said when both detectives were still in the same place, looking at him with surprised looks.

 

And at that Dan and Chloe followed him. They will have so much to talk. Or freak out, they weren’t so sure yet.

 

* * *

 

 

It was the strangest trip to LUX those humans had ever experienced. After Dan explained his plan to Chloe and Lucifer, the latter said he was going with Ella and his brother in the van. Ignoring the looks he received from the officers that were still closing the scene he gave his keys to Chloe with some words.

 

“I hope you drive it safely, Detective.” And entered the van, still uncharacteristically unemotional.

 

And with that Chloe drove his Corvette and Dan drove Chloe’s cruise, parking the vehicles in the underground garage of LUX. And with a very silent entourage, they entered the elevator to reach the penthouse.

 

Dan was the first person to break the silence they were immersed.

 

“Should we call Amenadiel?”

 

“If you wish…” Lucifer answered still using a flat tone and looking straight ahead. But Chloe could see that something was stirring under the surface. “Maze also should be contacted.”

 

Ella made noise and Chloe nodded. Of course, Maze. The Demon. Fumbling with her phone Ella was the first to make a call. Dan looked at Lucifer one more time before doing the same.

 

At that moment the elevator doors opened, and they exited the penthouse. The humans walking to the couches while Lucifer walked straight to his room.

 

The Devil had so many things passing through his head, but his brother was in the forefront of all. Had that call he had some weeks prior anything to do with Michael’s appearance in Los Angeles? What could this possibly mean?

 

He placed Michael on his bed and looked at the clean shaved face so identical to his, the curly black hair, the sculpted nose, and jaw. And for the first time that day, after his complete fear of almost losing his twin, he felt that anger he had built for eons climbing his gut. He balled his fists and closes his eyes. He had to get the Hell out of there.

 

Turning around Lucifer exited his room, walking directly to his private bar. He grabbed a crystal cup and a decanter, pouring whiskey in his cup until it was full until the brim and gulped down the liquid. He filled his cup once again and drowned the liquid as it was the last water in the world.

 

However, he could feel his angriness grow and lash out, his eyes burning like he used to when he had his Devil face, but he knew it wasn’t burning with the fires of Hell anymore. Lucifer squeezed the cup in his hand hearing it crack and give in under his force, a sharp pain climbing his arm. But he didn’t care.

 

He let go of the shards of glass and grabbed another cup, but right after he filled he threw it in the direction of his Sumerian wall, screaming in rage and sorrow.

 

He barely registered the yelps his human friends produced. All he could think was that he wanted to destroy, to hurt, to… He screamed again and punched his marble counter, breaking both his hand and the stone. The pain was almost numbing, but he wanted more. He prepared to punch again, but a terrified scream stopped him in his tracks.

 

“Lucifer!” He felt a small hand hold his arm and the other place on his chest, and he looked down to see those lovable blue-grayish eyes filled with tears again. “Please, stop… You are hurting yourself. Please.” She pleaded, and he just could look at her.

 

Everything was wrong, it wasn’t supposed for her to know him that way, to see him that way. He freed himself from her hold and turned around to meet the looks of both Dan and Ella, both looking at him with a mix of worry and fear.

 

He couldn’t bare those looks, he had to get out of there. However, before he could even give another step, he felt arms circling his waist and a face burry at his back.

 

“Stop, Lucifer.” Chloe’s voice was muffled and filled with sadness. “Please…”

 

And he did. He stopped. His shoulders giving in and all the weight of the world stepping on them.

 

“I’m sorry…” His voice broke as all the emotions he had been keeping came out in those two words. “I’m so sorry…”

 

And those humans, once again, saw the Devil break down.

 

* * *

 

 

Half an hour later they were all seated on his couches, with Ella gently bandaging his broken hand, Chloe seated by Lucifer’s side, and holding his other hand as if she could stop him hurting himself again if she kept holding and Dan nursing a cup of whiskey himself.

 

“I’m sorry you had to discover this way” Lucifer broke the silence, his voice hoarse with all emotion and because of his screams. “I didn’t want it to be this way.”

 

“Dude, it is okay.” Ella was the one that answered, her voice regaining some of her usual cheerfulness. “We understand, right?” She looked at both Chloe and Dan.

 

Chloe nodded while Dan made a noise of agreement. After all that happened, Dan was starting to feel all sinking in.

 

“I think wouldn’t be the best way to know, man. But we are cool.” He nodded and took a long sip of his drink. “Totally cool…” he nodded as if to convince himself.

 

Lucifer left out a chuckle, with not that much humor, but better than nothing.

 

“I can see that.” He looked at his hands. “Thank you… Thank you for not run away and be here, that’s more than I can ask of you.”

 

“We are your friends, Lucifer. We won’t run away from you just because you have been telling the truth all along.” Chloe answered, frowning a bit. “We know you.”

 

Lucifer raised his head and looked at her with admiration and gratefulness.

 

“I think the fact of seeing my wings, rather than my Devil face played a good factor…” He chuckled bitterly and rose from the couch he was seating, ignoring the curious glances he received. “I think is time to tell you a story, my friends.”

 

“A story?” Ella asked curiously.

 

“Yes… Somethings those fat misogynist fellows that wrote that outdated book didn’t know and if they knew they wouldn’t want people to know.” He said with certain scorn. “The Bible is a fiction, based on real facts, but fiction nonetheless. They didn’t grasp half of what my dear half-brother wanted, anyway.”

 

* * *

 

 

Linda squirmed under Maze’s glare, feeling a mixture of anger and guilt. She didn’t have any place to hide in that elevator, in the middle of the demoness and the fallen angel. And even if she wanted to, she had to face the consequences of her choice, and maybe, maybe, salvage what was left of her friendship with Maze.

 

Linda was with Amenadiel, retrieving with one of the few things she had left in his apartment, when the angel received a very confusing call from Dan, regarding Lucifer, and they both set their way to LUX, encountering Maze in the entrance. It was a very awkward moment considering all that happened the last time the three of them met. 

 

But before the therapist could speak anything the elevator dinged, and the door opened, and they could catch Lucifer’s voice, a very hoarse version of it anyway, speaking.

 

“…They didn’t grasp half of what my dear half-brother wanted, anyway.”

 

Maze stepped out first, frowning at the same time she grabbed one of her knives.

 

“Lucifer, what happened? Ellen was too cryptic in her call. The only things I caught was Lucifer, distress, brother.” She marched into the room.

 

Lucifer turned in their direction and Linda could see his blood-shot eyes and trails of dry tears covering his cheek. What did the Hell happen?

 

“Lucifer” she spoke carefully, her eyes traveling the main room of the penthouse, noticing Chloe, Dan and Ella, a broken glass, a broken counter and his hand bandaged. “What happened here?” Maze glared at her.

 

Amenadiel was the only one quiet, his eyes assessing his brother as if he had the faint idea of what could possibly be happening.

 

“Oh, great! Doctor, Maze, Amenadiel, is good that you guys made in time.” Lucifer said, a mask of cheerfulness settling into his features. That made Linda even more worried and she ignored Maze and the others and approached Lucifer. He for his part looked at her without bulging. “Yes, Doctor? I feel you have something to ask.” His tone was flat and so uncommon for him.

 

“What happened?” She asked again, holding his hard gaze with one of her own.

 

Lucifer studied her face, his mouth setting itself into a line until he finally answered.

 

“Michael happened.”

 

And then everything came upside down.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came faster than I thought. And it’s all because of your lovely comments. They gave me the fuel to write, and I also must thank my inspiration that is on a roll for this last two weeks hahaha 
> 
> Just to be clear, this story here doesn’t have anything to do with ALMAT. And do not expect to see an evil Michael, or angels, or God, they will be a normal family, with their cosmic problems, but normal. We are made after them, after all. lol 
> 
> So, bear with me, because for now, I’m introducing the world I created. Later things will start to get more interesting… I hope. 
> 
> Let me know what you think! And thank you so much for all favorite, follows, bookmarks, kudos, and comments! :D
> 
> See you next chapter
> 
> Nath :*


	3. Past and Present

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chloe sucked in a breath, that was his given name? Poison of God? She locked her eyes in Lucifer, watching as he gripped his hands.

Maze tensed when that name came out of Lucifer’s mouth, with a growl she grabbed her other Hell forged knife and gave her ex-Lord a hard look.

 

“Where is he?” The cold menacing tone made the humans inside his penthouse gasp.

 

Lucifer was calmly looking back at Maze, a mask of tranquility and composure. “He didn’t do anything, Mazikeen, in fact… He was the supposed victim of today’s crime scene.” That made Maze step back, a bigger frown settled on her features, one of the daggers disappearing in her clothes. “And if you wish to know, he is in my room.”

 

Amenadiel that was quiet until that moment walked closer to Lucifer, confusion, and fear transpiring in his tone.

 

“What do you mean victim? He can’t be hurt by humans.” The older Archangel was frowning.

 

“Oh, it wasn’t human, brother. No human could do that to him.” The Devil’s tone assumed some sneer. “Apparently, it’s just me that has this little problem.” He raised his broken hand.

 

At those words, the other Archangel finally looked around and saw the others in his brother apartment. A shocked expression crossed his face and then he adopted a sheepish smile. But, before he could say anything Lucifer spoke.

 

“They know, brother.” The flat tone was back. And that worried Linda more, it meant something big happened for Lucifer to have revealed himself for those three at the same time.

 

“Lucifer…” She started. “Are we speaking of Michael? The Michael?” Lucifer only mentioned the other Archangel a few times, but never entered in detail. If the Bible was right, this was way too big, it was like Capitan Ahab meeting Moby-Dick. Would they be prepared for such impact of titan forces?

 

Lucifer directed her an empty glare before speaking.

 

“It only exists one Michael in the Host, Doctor. Of course, I’m speaking of ‘The Michael’, as you put him.” Some sarcasm leaked when he spoke his brother’s name with ‘the’. “People love to say his name as if it is a title, news flash, he isn’t the only powerful Archangel. I’m too…” His voice raised in volume as his anger grew. “Or I was… I’m not part of the Host anymore.” He huffed.

 

Chloe, Ella, and Dan were watching all that interaction with surprise and mixed feelings. So, they weren’t the only humans that knew. Well, that was obvious, after that revelation in front of half the precinct. But apparently Doctor Linda knew for a while, that was a sore point for Chloe.

 

“What happened to Michael, Luci?” Amenadiel interrupted him before he could go on with his tirade.

 

The devil stopped and sighed, moving his healthy hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

 

“I don’t know… When we got there the humans had declared him dead.” His voice sounded ancient. “When I noticed it was Michael, his soul was almost reaching the Silver City’s gates, I could call him back and then I used my wings to cure him. That’s why they know… I did it in front of the humans.”

 

Amenadiel was listening to it intently, his face growing slightly depreciative at the end. But Maze’s face grew scary, her eyes flashing with a cold fury.

 

“Let me see if I understood right… You, you of all people saved Michael’s life?” She approached lucifer and placed the tip of her dagger in the middle of his chest. Lucifer’s eyes bored into the knife and growled. “The same Michael that threw you away?” Her voice grew angry and dangerous. “Are you insane, Lucifer?”

 

Chloe, Ella, and Dan were absorbing all the information threw at their faces with the same eagerness a child would have absorbed knowledge, their eyes never leaving Lucifer. So many questions needed an answer.

 

The Devil slapped Maze’s hand with force, knocking it sideways. “I couldn’t let him die!”

 

“What would it matter?” Maze said through gritted teeth. “You killed one of your siblings already!”

 

The effects of those words were instantaneous, Lucifer’s face contorted in guilty and an immense sadness. And the ones that didn’t know about that gasped.

 

“Maze!” Both Linda and Amenadiel exclaimed at the same time.

 

“I didn’t have a choice…” Lucifer spoke, his voice breaking at the edges. “I had to protect the Detective... And Uriel…” He couldn’t finish, choking on his words. 

 

“And Michael dead would be to protect you.” Maze answered, with more tenderness than people were used to seeing her use. It made all the others pause, eyes locked at Lucifer and Maze.

 

However, that phrase made something break inside him. He growled again and ignoring his broken hand he grabbed Maze by her neck and lifted her. The demoness not even blinked, staring at his eyes with determination. But that couldn’t be said about the others, at that action the others also moved, some in panic, others trying to do something. Dan let go of his cup that shattered on the floor, Ella grabbed her cross again, and Chloe started to walk to Lucifer’s side. Linda also tried to reach him, but Amenadiel held her in place.

 

“Explain to me, Mazikeen, how his death would be for my protection?” His voice emanated power, while his eyes were flashing silver and white. But the demoness didn’t flinch.

 

“I was there, Lucifer. I saw how what Michael did at your Father’s orders broke you.” Her voice came with some difficulty because of his hand on her throat. “I have to live the rest of my existence knowing you created me to fill the void Michael left in you. That’s why I’m the most loyal, and the one that can find you, the one you had fun with… Because I am Michael’s replacement.” She stared him hard. “And I can’t… I won’t let him hurt you again like he did. You are better off without him.”

 

Lucifer stared at his demon back until he relaxed his hand and left her fall to her knees. Maze gasped for air and rubbed one of her hands on her throat, but she kept her gaze in Lucifer, that was trembling. Maze’s words hit him more than he wanted to admit, because of the truth they spoke. He never knew Maze knew that. 

 

“He will be off first thing when he wakes up.” He turned around, ignoring all the rest of the room, resting his hands on his marble counter trying to gain some control again.

 

Amenadiel felt a painful pang in his chest when he heard Maze’s words. He knew Lucifer was broken with the aftermath of his Fall, but he didn’t know the extent of it. After Lucifer’s fall he witnessed Michael’s suffering, it was painful to watch, but Michael had their siblings, Lucifer had no one. Not until he created the demons. He could understand Maze’s protectiveness regarding Lucifer, it was the same he had for all his siblings.

 

But, he also knew that something was off. If Michael was hurt, it had something related to that call they felt weeks prior. And he knew Lucifer was probably thinking the same.

 

“Luci, you know, like I do, that it won’t be that simple. We had…” he started but was interrupted by Lucifer.

 

“Not the time, Amenadiel.” The Devil sighed and turned around, looking at the humans in the room. “I promised them a story, and I will tell them. It’s time to tell them the truth… Doctor Linda, you always asked me about my life prior to the Fall, you will have your wish granted now.” He moved, ignoring the kneeling Maze and the exasperated look of Amenadiel. “If you all allow me, I will tell you all that happened, until today.” He stopped in one of the armchairs and indicated the couches to the others, all too calm and civilized. “I believe Amenadiel will assist me, after all, he is the first born, he can give you an account of what happened before my birth.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

It was surreal to Chloe everything that was happening that day. It all started with a normal day, dropping Trixie at school, being called to a scene, calling Lucifer. But then all went spiraling. And then she was at Lucifer’s penthouse, seeing creatures that had a life she could barely comprehend, discuss things she could barely grasp.

 

However, what her mind attained more was the fact that Lucifer, her best friend, trusted more Linda than her. She knew she didn’t have the complete picture there, but it hurt that Linda knew the truth before her. With a deep sigh, she looked around there, seeing Dan with another cup of whiskey and Ella introspective face, it wasn’t just her having her world turned upside down, it gave her some comfort.

 

Chloe was taken from her thoughts when Lucifer started to speak again.

 

“One of the first things those that wrote that stupid old book got wrong was that God made the universe alone. No, he had a wife.” His eyes were fixed in a point in front of him. “In the beginning, it didn’t exist anything, until Dad met Mom, two solitary celestials fell in love, and their encounter created an explosion, that the scientists named Big Bang.” A small smile graced his lips. “Other things those humans thought they knew better, but got it wrong anyway is that the universe didn’t come to being completely formed, no… The billions of years it took to form all the universe you know today actually happened. Evolution is real. All because time does not exist for Celestials, it’s a concept that would just take effect after the first child.”

 

Amenadiel was looking at them, differently from Lucifer, and took the narrative from there.  Despite the shocking news none of them interrupted because they wanted to hear it all.

 

“Mom and Dad’s encounter generated the first life… Me.” The older Archangel smiled. “Amenadiel, ‘Fury of God’, Time. For a little while, it was just me. And because of my existence, the dynamics of the universe started to change, and Mom and Dad noticed. So, they tried again, and from another encounter, another life was born… Ariel, ‘Lioness of God’, Nature. And they tried again… Zadkiel, ‘Righteousness of God’, Benevolence was born. And again, Raphael, ‘God Heals’, Cure, right after him. Jophiel, ‘Beauty of God’, Knowledge. Azrael, ‘Help from God’, Mourn. Raguel, ‘Friend of God’, Justice. Uriel, ‘God is my light’, Connections. Gabriel, ‘Strength of God’, Enlightening. All of them were born, one after the other.” His smile grew, and fondness permeated his features when he remembered each of his siblings. “Our presence changed how the universe worked, and at each encounter of our Parents, more the universe was shaped.”

 

Lucifer finally raised his eyes, an ironic smile on his lips, and interrupted his brother.

 

“I guess all this have put all that fiction that old book is to the ground, don’t you think? They ignored the force of the feminine. Life would only be possible with Mom’s help. Dad is powerful, indeed, but life was only generated when he met Mom.” He directed his eyes to his hands this time. The humans in the room were all quiet, paying attention to their words. “He has the power to create, Mom to give it life. It was eons later that he would be able to generate life by Himself, only because He and Mom, started to share the same corporal body and their powers rubbed into each other. Part of Mom’s is in Dad, and part of Dad’s is in Mom.”

 

“Aren’t you skipping too much, Luci?” Amenadiel sighed. He received just a shrug as an answer and he shook his head. “Anyway, we were children then, like you humans, we grew, at a different pace of yours, but we grew. We were a happy family then, exploring the universe that was growing around us. It was then that Dad decided to create the Silver City, Heaven, as what you know it.” The older Archangel smiled and looked at Lucifer that has resumed his staring at his hand. “It was then that Mom and Dad decided to have another encounter… And for the first time, two lives were generated together. The twins were born, Michael, ‘Who is like God?’, War and Samael, ‘Poison of God’, Desire.”

 

Chloe sucked in a breath, that was his given name? Poison of God? She locked her eyes in Lucifer, watching as he gripped his hands.

 

“Our family was complete then.”  Amenadiel continued. “With the new two additions, the dynamics of the Universe were complete.” He tilted his head slightly and his eyes gained a faraway look. “We were happy when we grew up, Mom and Dad were always there, and we had our fun. Michael and Samael were inseparable, where one was, the other was. Samael getting them in problems, and Michael taking them out of them, it was something interesting to watch... How one completed the other.” His smile was fond.  “I was the first to reach the adulthood, and with that, I gained my first task, control Time.” His smile took a sadder tinge. “And one after the other, we grew, and we had tasks, all related to what we were born with. We expanded our powers, some even growing beyond… It was then that things changed.”

 

When is brother paused, Lucifer took the narrative.

 

“It was then that I noticed I could create too… Not Life, like Mom and Dad, but Light.” He moved his eyes up and stared at all of them. “I created the starts, the suns… I gave the Universe, Light.” A bitter smile crossed his lips. “I was happy I did something for Dad, then. Michael was also capable of creating, but he could create weapons out of anything, it was then that we learned how to fight. Michael was the best of us all. Still is.” He sighed and closes his eyes for a little while. “Our tasks grew as we started to develop, and things we did when we were children, grew in size. I was good at destroying, and my power of light was used for such. I destroyed worlds in which Dad’s experiments went wrong, I was the Punisher, I was Death… I was the first Angel of Death. I still have some control over it, I can sense where I soul is going, I can call one if they haven’t crossed planes. But now, is my sister’s job to control and be Death… Azrael was good in helping people to go through loss, so she took my job when I fell.”

 

He paused his eyes locking with the blue-greyish eyes of Chloe for a few seconds.

 

“Dad and Mom started to fall apart when all of this started. Mom was against Dad using us for his projects, and Dad for his part started to go more and more to the garage, invested in his little project called Humanity.” Lucifer continued, eyes slowly moving around. “At first, none of us bothered much with it, we were happy with our functions. Until Dad showed us his little success on this planet. We watched your species evolve and grow, we helped Dad to populate this world with plants, animals, light, knowledge, cure, time, justice, benevolence, connections, and so on. We gave Dad the ideas, and Dad shaped them in the DNA you all know today. Everything was alright until Dad decided to give Free Will to creatures that were still growing, something I always wanted since Dad explained it to me. I wanted to choose who I wanted to be…”

 

“But Dad said no, and we started to fight. I was a teenager wanting his Parents to give him freedom, but not being granted it. So, I decided to steal it… That was what my rebellion was in reality. I didn’t create a war or turned my siblings against each other… I stole Dad’s toy, I even threatened to grab the Flaming Sword to escape the Silver City, and as punishment… I had my own twin brother, my best friend, my companion, fight me until I was completely defeated, having my deepest desire snatched from me and threw out of Silver City directly to Hell, the new realm Dad has created…”

 

Lucifer paused again, chocked by emotions. A whole minute passed before he started again.

 

“The fall was long, excruciating, my angelic body burned as I crossed planes, and a new form of me was born… The Devil. When I finally reached the empty Hell, with all its ashes and brimstone, I was alone and in pain.” He paused, and his eyes finally traveled to Maze. “I spent, I don’t know how many centuries, alone in Hell… Time works differently in Hell and Heaven, thanks to my brother here…” he patted Amenadiel on his leg. “Anyway, I spent centuries alone in Hell, nursing my burns until I could finally control my powers again and I could glamour my appearance back to what it was before my fall.” He pointed at himself. “It was then that I started to explore Hell. In the same timeframe the first soul arrived there, Abel, Cain’s brother. And thinking I knew what Dad wanted, I took my role as the Punisher once again. I tortured that soul, I refined all torture techniques with him…”

 

“But I was still alone… So, I decided to experiment. In the bowels of Hell is where the fire of creation of that realm is, a little reminiscent of Dad's power. And together with my light, I created the first demon. Mazikeen. No soul, just a physical body, personality, and all the anger I was feeling. It wasn’t perfect like Dad’s creatures, but creature she is.” His eyes still glued to Maze he continued. “I taught Maze all I knew: fighting techniques, torture techniques, and pleasure… Centuries would go by, and I created more demons as more souls started to come down and Hell started to grow, gaining the features it has today. Every single soul has its own chamber, most with their personal Hell, all fueled by their guilty.”

 

“More centuries passed until I could use my wings again, and I flew to the mortal world for the first time. The world has changed, and interesting things you humans did while I was gone made me explore… It was the first time Amenadiel came to fetch me and bring me back to Hell. Every now and then I would come to the surface, I would explore, meet people, have my fun, and every time I would come back to Hell with Amenadiel.” He smiled bitterly. “Until a week, seven years ago…”

 

And then both Amenadiel and Lucifer started to recount things that happened in 2011, to both Chloe and Dan’s surprise, because it was the same case they worked 7 years ago that led to Chloe’s being promoted to detective. So, she has been working with Lucifer longer than she thought. Their narrative came to something they already knew about Lucifer, his records appearing out of nowhere, his deals and how he reached the post he was when they met for the first time officially. And then the story took a more familiar note, his adventures with her, why he took an interesting in her.

 

The fact that she was invulnerable to his powers, the fact that she made him mortal, that’s why he could bleed and die in her presence. That Amenadiel brought Malcolm back to life and tasked the dirty cop to kill Lucifer, that he died that day with Malcolm, but he came back after he asked his Dad to protect her. That he killed one of his siblings to protect her, that Charlotte Richards housed his Mother for a while, that strange dagger that provoked all those killings and how Dan surprised him by resisting the powers of that celestial blade. And that he died for her again to find a cure for her. Lucifer, with a choked voice, told them she was a Miracle, that her parents couldn’t have children, and Amenadiel came down to bless her parents at his Dad’s order, and that is why he fled to Las Vegas, to give her Free Will back to her.

 

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest when she remembered all the feelings she had at that moment. And at the same time anger came climbing her chest, gripping viciously around her heart. She set her jaw and stared at Lucifer, that wasn’t looking at her, as he continued his tale of what happened on that confusing day in the pier. He also told how he was kidnapped after he visited Linda (that was hurt by Mom) and called her that he wanted to come clean. He also told that he woke up half-naked in the desert, two days later, with his wings back and his Devil face gone. And all he could think was Sinnerman.

 

She remembered those times, how she scoffed his supposed kidnapping, and that it hurt him that she didn't believe in him. It was then that he tried to show her something, but she thought he was playing her. How she delegated Sinnerman as something that didn’t exist.

 

Their tale reached the more recent ground and they were learning little things of what happened in Lucifer’s end.

 

The multiple times he cut his wings off to have them regrew at his back, how he couldn’t control them well, how Linda helped him stop cutting himself. How obsessed he was to understand what happened to him, and how it drove her away and close to Pierce, what really happened that day he kidnapped the Sinnerman and why he did it, she heard for the first time what he wanted to tell her that day. Lucifer even told that he discovered, in the end, what happened to him that day in the hospital. That Marcus Pierce, their Lieutenant, was, in reality, Cain, and he was behind Sinnerman in a way.

 

As the last words flowed from both Lucifer and Amenadiel, Chloe got up and walked closer to one of the ceiling-high windows in his penthouse, trying to put at bay all her conflicting feelings. She was in that position when she heard the apprehensive voice of Ella question both Archangels.

 

“Hum… I know it sounds stupid questions after all you two told us, but… Before Hell existed, where the damned souls went? How Hell actually work?” Chloe could hear the sheepish smile in Ella’s voice.

 

“I imagined questions would arise, Miss Lopes. No question is stupid.” Lucifer said with an uncommon patience. “Most of the souls, at the beginning of the creation and evolution, were pure. Just a few were corrupted by the evil of their own species, those ceased to exist when they died. It wasn’t until Dad put that little bacterial cell on this blue planet, later known as Earth, to initiate the process of creation of the animals and humans as consequence, that Dad had the first idea of Hell.” Chloe could feel his eyes boring at her back, but she didn’t turn around. “Hell works with one’s guilty, but guilty alone don’t land you in Hell… Actions also rule your destination, that’s why you have Free Will. During a human’s life, you will pave your way to Hell or the Silver City. Someone that is made to feel guilty for whatever reason by third parties usually doesn’t go to Hell either… Usually, my brother Raguel will judge those souls.”

 

“However, actions alone can land you in Hell, mostly for those that don’t regret their actions whatsoever. Sociopaths, Psychopaths, Mass murderers, and other fellows that think they did the correct thing and don’t regret at all… They are the only ones that have their doors locked in Hell and are personally tortured by demons.” His tone grew darker at every word. “Hell don’t have locked doors, because when a soul finally decides to free themselves of their guilt, and they repent it, they can go to Heaven. But it’s a cruel system, clever, but cruel... Because those souls there, never leave, they trap themselves in guilt.” The bitterness was there once again. “So, if you regret what you did wrong in life, and do act differently your soul is not heavy with guilt anymore and you ascend to the Silver City. Most humans do mistakes, but if they regret it and try to do better, they can. I’ve seen many cases of that, actually. No one is destined to go to Hell or Silver City, is your choice.”

 

He finished, and Cloe couldn’t feel his eyes on her anymore, but she still didn’t turn around.

 

“Just something I want to clarify…” this time was Dan, his voice trembling a bit. “You mean that time I slept with Charlotte Richards, she was your Mother?” Chloe could hear the distress in his voice.

 

“Yes,” Amenadiel answered.

 

“Gross.” Ella made a disgusted sound.

 

“Oh… I slept with the Goddess of Creation…” She heard more liquid being poured in a cup, that thing is also something Chloe was having problems wrap her mind into too.

 

A rustle of fabric came before Chloe could hear Linda speaking. “Just something I didn’t understand quite well. For what I understood you, Lucifer, and Azrael were the only ones that could control Death, how Amenadiel could bring Malcolm back to life then?”

 

“Well… All Angels and Archangels can bring souls back to a body, but this body must be recently dead, a question of minutes, actually. But actively resuscitate someone completely and without any consequences for the soul or cosmos? Just Azrael, at Dad’s orders. Well… I could too, back then.” Lucifer answered, with an air of simplicity. Like talking about resuscitating people was something very normal.

 

“Wait… Did you say Angel and Archangels? Are you guys divided into some sort of hierarchy?” Ella’s voice came again.

 

“Not like the Bible, no. We don’t have that much Angels as they supposedly say we have. Angels are weaker than us, Archangels, but the bigger difference between us lay in the fact that we, Archangels, were born from a relationship between God and the Goddess, while Angels were pure souls Dad let them choose if they wanted to be Angels.” Amenadiel was the one explaining.

 

“And Jesus?” Dan spoke again.

 

“What about him?” Lucifer was starting to sound a bit more like him then.

 

“He really existed?” Dan was pouring more alcohol into his cup, she could hear the whiskey decanter being placed on the table again.

 

“Yes, he did. Our dear half-brother was a nice fellow, a demigod, quite powerful. Same level as us, Archangels. Wanted to teach you, humans, some things, but then those stupid fellows came and wrote everything wrong… More than half of the writings and teachings of the nice chap are hidden in the Vatican vaults.” Lucifer spoke with a slight disagreement in his voice.

 

“Luci!” Amenadiel reprimanded his brother.

 

“What? I just said the truth…” Chloe could see in her mind eye Lucifer giving his brother one of his irritating smiles.

 

This time the silence stretched, the humans still absorbing the new information. And Chloe, she was still battling with the knowledge that Lucifer chose for her, she was still confused about all that thing of him thinking she didn’t have a choice in her feelings, but what hurt more was that he decided it for her.  She was brought back when Lucifer spoke to her.

 

“And you, Detective, do you have any question?”

 

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and then she turned around, passing her eyes through all the others. Maze was seated in the far corner, eyes hooded, Amenadiel was looking at her intently, so was Linda. Ella was playing with her cross and Dan was drowning his nth cup of whiskey.

 

But Chloe’s eyes locked with those dark chocolate ones, that still had that hint of fear in them. She squared her shoulders and looked back at him with determination. So many things she wanted to talk to him, but she decided to address their almost “something” first because it was what hurt most.

 

“Yes, I do have a question.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lucifer held her gaze while in his interior fear was corroding his confidence. All the while he was telling his story he passed his eyes to those listening to him, although he also had his moments looking at his hands, so he could gather his confidence again. He never laid himself so bare before like he did to those people. It had eons since he did a thing such remotely similar.

 

But his thoughts were broken when she started speaking again.

 

“You, that always scream how manipulative your Father is, how control freak he is, did the same thing to me. Decided for me that my feelings weren’t real, not even giving me a chance to decide that myself! Do you think, Lucifer, this is too far from what you Father does or did?” He flinched at every single word she spoke, closing his eyes.

 

“I didn’t want to have you tangled in this, Detective. I had to protect you.” He answered automatically.

 

“Open your eyes and look at me!” She pressed him, and he complied. “You did this for me or for you, Lucifer?”

 

He could see the anger swimming in those deep blue pools and he could only blame himself. Lucifer didn’t have anything to answer her because he didn’t have an answer himself. At the lack of his answer, she continued.

 

“I will decide myself, Lucifer! From now on, do not even attempt to decide anything for me. Because it will be me. Because I am sure what I felt was true… What I still feel. I will decide if I want you or not.” She pointed a finger at him, while he ignored his heart skipping a beat. “That’s the least you can do for me.” A solitary tear came running down her cheek, and it broke him.

 

“Y-Yes… As you wish Detective.”

 

But before she could answer, a voice came fluctuating from his bedroom. A voice he knew way too much.

 

“Samael?”

 

The room seemed to have stopped and every head in that room turned around to see the lanky figure of Michael going down the few steps that separated Lucifer’s room to his living room. He had a very confused face, his eyes going around the place and stopping where his two brothers were seated.

 

“Where are we?”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tan tan tan *ominous song*. Now things will start to move, now that I put all that I needed out there, the plot is going to speed up a bit. I will address somethings that were hinted here, however, muted, soon. I hope you liked my take in all this celestial world, and we will have more in the future ;)
> 
> If you think that anything needs more explanation, let me know, I will fix it in the next chapter. And I’m also opening the way for our dear OTP, but things are still going to take its time. 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments, please! 
> 
> Thank you for all the kudos, favorites, follows, bookmarks and comments!
> 
> See you soon! Nath :*
> 
> PS.: I decided to post one chapter of Breaking down, and then one from ALMAT, intercalating both stories :D I hope you like this system. 
> 
> PS.2: If you notice an incomplete phrase, let me know because when I was using my Grammarly, it happened something that it at up chunks of some phrases. I read everything again to make sure, but if something escaped me, just let me know :3


	4. War?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What? Forgot something?” Lucifer asked with a mocking tone while pointing at Amenadiel. 
> 
> Michael looked at his twin and with a worried expression, he said. “I can’t enter the Silver City plane.”

Lucifer watched as his brother turned to look around again, still confused, half fascinated by what he was seeing half lost. He asked again.

 

“Where are we? This is not the Silver City.” That seemed to break the spell Lucifer was in, caused by his twin walking around him again, and with his inhuman speed, he was in front of Michael pushing him against his Sumerian wall.

 

“Lucifer!” Different cries of his name followed his action. But he didn’t care.

 

“Of course, we are not, Michael.” He pressed his brother harder against the wall. Michael blinked in surprise and frowned, even more confused.

 

“Samael, what are you doing?” Hearing Michael calling him like that again brought back memories Lucifer fought hard to forget.

 

“Do not call me that!” The Devil said angrily, eyes flashing slightly silvery. “That’s not my name anymore, and you know it!”

 

“What are you talking about?” Confusion, mixed with frustration, could be heard in Michael's voice. “You are Samael, my twin.”

 

Lucifer laughed bitterly. “I’m Lucifer, the Devil, Michael. Don’t feign ignorance, you were the one that threw me out like garbage.”

 

“What in the name of Dad are you blabbing about?” Michael seemed to have had enough and pushed Lucifer with all his strength, sending the other Archangel stumbling backward. “Lucifer is your title, what are you saying?”

 

Lucifer growled. “Don’t play with me, Brother.”

 

“I’m not playing with you, Twin,” Michael said calmly.

 

Lucifer's rage increased tenfold and he came charging on his brother, the other Archangel swiftly dodged his younger brother and lifted his hands signaling peace and that he wouldn’t reciprocate. Lucifer growled in frustration and glared at his older brother.

 

“Do not dare act like nothing happened, Michael. I’m not your twin per se for eons now. You broke that connection when you threw me down that cliff.” Once again, he was walking to his brother, ready to punch him this time.

 

“Eons? What are you talking about? We’ve been training combat with spears just yesterday!” Michael said with clear distress in his voice. But what made the Devil stop mid-step was the allusion of spear training with Michael. It was something he did often, train with Michael, way before his fall.

 

“That was eons ago, Michael.” The one that spoke this time was Amenadiel. The eldest approached his second youngest brother and placed a comforting hand on Michael’s shoulder. “What is the last thing you remember?” Amenadiel frowned, worried at the implications of what that could mean.

 

Michael blinked and looked down at his feet, a small smile on his lips.

 

“Samael and I were planning in pranking Uriel again. We misplaced all his Pieces of Patterns again, and we even hid one under his nose.” He chuckled at the end as he remembered it.

 

Lucifer remembered that. He could still see Uriel's mad face and he still remember how he made him and Michael put everything precisely where they should be.

 

“This was before my Fall…” The Devil said absentmindedly. A cold came running down Lucifer’s spine and he looked at Michael with wide eyes. That couldn’t be possible…

 

His train of thought was interrupted by a gasp, and the three brothers looked around to see the humans observing them. Linda was the one that made the noise, she rose from her seat and looked at Michael with clinic eyes.

 

“I don’t know if this is even possible… But, I think M-Michael” she stammered when she spoke his name “is suffering from Amnesia.”

 

Lucifer could tell that much too because he could see the surprised face of Michael as he looked at the humans both fascinated and horrified. It wasn’t an acting or a lie. If he wasn’t so confused about how to feel, he would have laughed at his brother’s face.

 

* * *

 

 

After Linda’s assessment of the situation, Michael switched to a language they could barely comprehend, his accent disappearing completely while he was frantically speaking. Amenadiel was answering him as calmly as he could, considering all the situation, his accent also disappearing. Lucifer walked to his bar again and was drowning himself with one of his fancy Scotch bottles, time or other he would also speak in that strange language, his accent also completely gone.

 

Maze, despite being seated, had a battle stance, never taking her eyes from Michael while playing with one of her demon blades, her eyes were ferocious and her mouth was on what seemed to be a permanent snarl. Linda has seated once again, watching with worry the three celestial beings discussing in that strange tongue.

 

“What language is that?” Ella finally asked. Dan hummed also curious, however, too tipsy to formulate a coherent phrase. Chloe had taken his cup and bottle away, all of them should be sober enough for all of that.

 

“Enochian, or Celestial language, if you prefer.” Maze answered. Their mother tongue, it was implicit in her words.

 

“Can you understand it?” Chloe asked, her eyes never leaving Lucifer’s back. She could see how tense he was, torn between anger and confusion.

 

“No. Too angelic for my kind.” Maze answered with an edge in her voice. She finally turned around to look at the three members of the LAPD. “You are all taking it so well.”

 

Chloe looked back at the demoness and smiled. “Well… We are still in shock, but we know you for a while now. It will be stupid of us take in consideration others’ words more than what we know about you.” She answered sincerely. Dan and Ella nodding to confirm Chloe’s words.

 

Some tension on Maze’s shoulders gave away, and one of her rare sincere smiles graced her lips. “Good to hear. I like you too much to see you running away.” She said seriously, but at a higher tone coming from the celestial beings she turned her attention back to Michael.

 

The discussion between the brothers also attracted the attention of the other humans, they seemed to be fighting again, Lucifer’s voice increasing in volume as he pointed at Amenadiel and Michael. Chloe not even noticed when she rose from the couch and walked to where Lucifer was, her hand gently touching his chest, attracting his attention to her.

 

“Shh, Lucifer… I know it’s hard but fighting them now won’t solve anything.” She said soothingly, his brown eyes glued to her blue-greyish ones.

 

Michael was watching that interaction with a confused frown. How Samael stopped mid-sentence when she touched him, how his eyes softened when he looked down at her, how his belligerent posture melted away. All because of a female human. _How odd_ , he thought.

 

“Detective…” Lucifer mumbled, and Chloe smiled when she heard his accent again, that one she grew accustomed to.

 

For more apologetic Amenadiel was, he interrupted the duo clearing his throat to call their attention. He succeeded receiving an apologetic smile from Chloe and a death glare from Lucifer. Ignoring his youngest brother, he turned to explain to the others.

 

“We explained to Michael, in the best way, what happened the last few eons, and where he is and when. What we can’t quite figure out is what happened to him that led to his loss of memories.” He said seriously. Amenadiel also had to hold a smile when he noticed that the Devil and the Detective didn’t move their positions. “Like I was explaining before Luci lost his temper,” Lucifer snorted, but the eldest just ignored him “a few weeks prior, Lucifer and I felt a call. A call to war. And Lucifer refused to investigate…”

 

“I won’t bloody answer His calls anymore, Amenadiel. Don’t even dream of it!” Lucifer interrupted, his tone gaining his previous angriness. Chloe placed her hand on his arm this time, successfully calming him down again.

 

Amenadiel ignored his brother and kept talking. Michael was still watching his twin's interaction with the woman with open curiosity.

 

“So, I suppose something indeed happened, and Michael came down to look for us. But he doesn’t remember anything…”

 

“He can go back from where he came from and maybe bring you with him to that boring, uptight place for all I care. Something good can come up from this, I will get rid of both of you at once.” The Devil signaled at the two in a dismissive way.

 

“Lucifer!” Chloe hissed and slapped his arm, receiving a yelp of pain from the Archangel. Michael raised his eyebrow at that. “You should help them, something might be happening in… Heaven.” She hesitated at the end.

 

Lucifer looked at Chloe with an empty glare and said simply. “No.”

 

“Twin” Michael started, and Lucifer’s eyes snapped back at his direction with a warning in them. “… Lucifer, if that’s your wish, I will be gone…” His voice was the same as Lucifer’s, but his accent was without all that affectation so common in the Devil’s speech.

 

“Yes, that’s my wish... For you to disappear from my sight.” Michael flinched at the harsh voice of his twin.

 

Before Chloe could lecture Lucifer again, Michael unfurled his wings. His pair was as wide as Lucifer’s, silver-metallic feathers glinting at the light coming from outside. All the humans gasped in awe at another beautiful pair of wings, eliciting a snort from the Devil. With his head bowed down, the Archangel of War flapped once to position himself in the air, fluctuating above the ground, and with another powerful flap of his wings, he disappeared for a brief second before reappearing again with confusion written on his face.

 

“What? Forgot something?” Lucifer asked with a mocking tone while pointing at Amenadiel. 

 

Michael looked at his twin and with a worried expression, he said. “I can’t enter the Silver City plane.”

 

Lucifer locked his eyes with his twin's and with lack of expression on his face he declared.

 

“Lovely”

 

* * *

 

 

After another fight broke between the brothers in Enochian, Linda intervened and with resolution, she decided that she, Amenadiel and Maze (the latter more because she didn’t want to lose sight of Michael) would stay with Lucifer’s twin. The rest would be back to the precinct to analyze the evidence of the case to see if Lucifer would recognize something.

 

They only had to make a stop at one burger joint to grab so food for the humans, and also to be sure Dan would be sober enough before they finally entered the police station.

 

As soon Lucifer stepped out of the car the police officers that were stationed outside tensed, hands flying to their service weapons. The Devil snorted and ignored all of them while the humans in his company started to talk with them.

 

Why should he care? It was his Dad’s fault humans were like this to him. That stupid bad PR, just because to humans it’s important to have some sort of enemy for everything. As if he could be any match for his Dad, he rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the men that wrote that wretched book. One thing he was sure was that his half-brother was probably still rolling his eyes at everything those people wrote in that supposedly sacred book.

 

When he finally stepped outside the elevator he saw each human stop in their tracks and look at him with varying levels of fear. He snorted again and made the way he always did, being followed by the others. He loved being the center of attention, but not like that. Never like that.

 

One officer, a small Latina woman came forward and threw water on his face, making him yelp in surprise.

 

“Bloody Hell!”

 

Dan came forward worried while putting himself between the crowd and Lucifer while the Devil dried himself.

 

“Ramirez, what…” But he was interrupted by the irritated voice of the Devil.

 

“Holy Water, seriously? What did you expect to happen? Should I start boiling or something?” he asked the woman with heavy sarcasm in his voice, while she shrunk under his glare. “I can enter a church, I can touch crosses and other holy objects, and nothing you humans created in your fables about me and my supposed weaknesses are true. The Anti-Christ does not exist. And if I ever want to have a child, they won't be a beast that wants to destroy your world. So, no, Holy Water doesn’t hurt me, and I definitely can’t be exorcised.” He passed his hands in the damp part of his suit. “You just ruined my new Armani. Now that we are settled, can I go work on my brother's crime scene? Good.” The officers opened a path for him to pass, and fuming Lucifer walked to Ella's lab.

 

“Lucifer!” Marcus Pierce’s strong voice came from the door of his office.

 

Lucifer stopped and sighed exasperatedly.

 

“What now?” He turns around to glare at the blue eyes of the Lieutenant.

 

“A word. Now.”

 

The Devil was tempted to break Cain’s neck and see all Officers shit their pants when the apparently dead Lieutenant rise and set his neck back in place like it was nothing. But those human minds can take so much. So, he complied.

 

“Miss Lopez, if you could move on with the analyses while I talk to our dear Lieutenant, I will be back in a few.”

 

With a nod, Ella scurried away to her laboratory and Dan and Chloe watched Lucifer walk to Pierce’s office. A deep silence followed as soon the door closed behind the Devil, but it didn't last long because soon they were surrounded by Officers demanding answers.

 

Chloe glared at her co-workers and silenced them with one single word, making a lot of the men and women look down at their feet.

 

“Now that you stopped this unnecessary persecution,” she said pointedly “I would like you all to remember that this is Lucifer, our strange civilian consultant. He helped us all, and we have the record of crime solution because of him, he did a lot for us, more than we could do by ourselves. We are ahead of any other precinct because of him. He never lied to us about who he is, and we will give him the benefit of doubt because we know him. He is not a depiction someone did of him. In our line of work, we are taught to not believe in everything that is told about someone, the same can be applied to the Devil. So, give him a chance, okay?”

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, the Devil was oblivious to his friends defending him and setting things right outside Cain’s office. He was busy glaring at an obviously pissed immortal.

 

“What the hell did you had in mind when you revealed yourself in front of half of this precinct?” Pierce hissed.

 

“I didn’t quite have the time to think when Michael’s life was at stake.” He answered back.

 

“I guess that is your problem, Lucifer. You don’t tend to think, right?” Cain answered with irony.

 

“Oh, shut up! What would you understand? You bloody killed your own brother.” He stabbed where it hurt most.

 

“So do you!” Pierce answered in kind.

 

“You…!” Lucifer stepped in front of Pierce, his eyes blazing with a silver light. Cain opened his mouth but closed it at the sight.

 

“Light-bringer…” Cain mumbled after a few minutes in silence.

 

Lucifer stepped back, his eyes going back to their usual dark brown ones. He sighed and closed his eyes pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

“We don’t have time for this… It’s possible we are in the middle of some kind of celestial war upstairs, Michael is stuck down here, and I need to figure out how to get rid of him.” Lucifer deflated completely after he spoke those words, all his anger going away, letting him tired and emotionally drained.

 

“War?”

 

“Yes… I’m not sure. I received a war call, but I’m not Dad’s soldier anymore, so, I didn't look. It can be anything as far as I know.” Lucifer said petulantly, making Pierce roll his eyes. “However, Michael was practically dead when I arrived at the crime scene, and Michael is the best of Dad’s soldiers. It makes us raise some brows. And what is worse... He can't go to the Silver City.” Part of Lucifer’s mask cracked, showing the worry under his composed expression. And at each word that left the Devil’s mouth Pierce’s expression grew grim. “What I can’t understand, because he was almost entering the Silver City when I called him back, and I can feel other souls crossing the plane. Only if…” The Devil stopped, realization crossing his eyes. “Only if they blocked corporeal plane crossings, we can’t go up…”

 

“And nothing can cross down.” Marcus finished for Lucifer. Dread clenched both immortals guts as the words settled between them.

 

* * *

 

 

When Lucifer and Cain exited the latter’s office they noticed the difference in the precinct, everyone had gone back to their work, some even risked giving Lucifer a small smile, but the tension still could be felt in the air. The Devil shrugged and made his way to where Dan, Ella, and Chloe were waiting for them, Pierce following right behind.

 

“What do you have for me, Miss Lopez?” Lucifer asked while bending at the table to look at the pictures of his brother’s crime scene.

 

Ella speared Pierce a side-way glance but answered the Devil. “Nothing out of the extraordinary. Nothing in the scene was out of place, I’m working on some chemical compounds in the laboratory, but it will take at least three days. I’m also analyzing some DNA we collected at the scene before you arrived. The only things we couldn’t quite explain are your brother’s wounds.” Lucifer nodded at her words.

 

“They are something I’ve never seen before” Dan started, pointing at the strange marks that covered the whole of Michael’s back. They were strangely shaped, some round others in the shape of half-moons and other strange shapes they couldn't identify. “They look like animal claws, but nothing I have ever seen. Have anything like that upstairs?”

 

Lucifer frowned while looking at the photos of his brother, Cain approached the table as well, looking intently at the photos.

 

“No, I’ve never seen this in my whole existence. These marks are neither Angelic or Demoniac, I've seen enough of those to recognize them on the spot.” The Archangel of Desire said with finality. Cain shook his head, also indicating he had never seen anything like those marks.

 

Chloe sighed. “That’s all we have Lucifer. I’m sorry…” She said feeling truly apologetic.

 

He looked at her and smiled, his features softening.

 

“It’s okay Detective. We tried…” Lucifer shook his head. “Our other alternative is to make Michael remember.” He grimaced.

 

Chloe placed a hand on his arm and squeezed it gently. “You have us now, we will be here for you if you need anything.” She smiled gently. “And we will keep looking, maybe something escaped us, and tomorrow, with fresh eyes, we can figure out things.”

 

“Thank you, Detective.” He smiled back at her. “If you don’t mind, I will feel more assured if you go to my penthouse today. It would be best if you all move in there. If a war is really happening in the Silver City, I prefer to have all of you under my roof where I can protect you. I have enough rooms for all of you.” He said seriously. “And besides… I have something to tell you.”

 

“That’s not necessary…” Chloe started with a frown.

 

“I insist.” He crossed his arms stubbornly.

 

And a battle of wits started between the Devil and his Detective, that in the end, the Archangel won when he gave convincing arguments. Just like that Ella, Chloe, Trixie, and Dan, later joined by Linda, Maze and Amenadiel, saw themselves moving in with the Devil.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, finally! Although I think this chapter is slightly weaker than the others *sigh* Somethings still needed to be cleared before advancing with this story. So, expect a jump in time next chapter, not much, but is necessary for the plot to move. 
> 
> And also, do expect some Lucifer/Michael moments soon! ;) They have a long way to go. 
> 
> Thank you for all the support so far! Leave me a comment on what you thought of this chapter and what you expect. Do you wish to know more about the past of the Archangels? How do you think this moving in with the Devil will work? 
> 
> See you soon! Nath :*
> 
> PS: The chapter counting is just an estimative.


	5. Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry, Lucifer, for everything.”
> 
> Lucifer cocked his head slightly sideways and stared at his brother for a long while. 
> 
> “You can’t ask sorry for something you don’t remember, Michael.”

Two months have passed since that enormous revelation about the divine was made, and things seemed to finally be returning back to normal. Not that now be living with three angels and a demon was considered normal, but Chloe wouldn’t be the one to complain at how things went, after all, Lucifer’s penthouse was way bigger than she thought. 

 

Chloe knew he had guest rooms because of her previous visits, but she didn’t know he had connected the whole of the bellow floor to his penthouse for future use, he basically had a second house a few flights of stairs of distance. And with so many people now living with him he gave them the opportunity to choose where they would prefer to stay.

 

What was being more complicated was the coexistence of so many different people in the same space, because, despite space not being a problem, they still frequented the same common spaces in Lucifer’s penthouse. Chloe could see at firsthand how Lucifer was coping with his twin brother entering his life again, it was frustrating at the same time it was painful. Lucifer would basically avoid Michael like a plague, and Michael would follow the youngest like a lost puppy, Maze wasn’t helping with the situation with the way she would glare at the Archangel of War and pin him against the walls, which would result in a fight between the two.

 

But nothing gained enough momentum because Chloe laid down the law because they had a child there and she didn’t want any gore in front of Trixie. Speaking of the little hell-raiser, she was over the moon when Chloe picked her up that day and told her they were moving in with Lucifer. She never saw her daughter shine with so much happier than that day, and things got even more interesting when Trixie spotted Michael for the first time.

 

They had just stepped out of the elevator being accompanied by Lucifer when Trixie spotted Michael on the other side of the room with Amenadiel. Chloe saw when her daughter took a double take at Michael and then looked at Lucifer, and with all the innocence of a child she asked:

 

“Mommy, why do we have two Lucifers?”

 

Chloe looked at the curious eyes of her daughter and with a small smile, she replied before Lucifer could give his own reply.

 

“He is Lucifer’s twin brother, Michael, monkey.”

 

Trixie brown eyes bulged slightly, and a tentative smile spread across her lips.

 

“Cool!” The little girl’s reply came and before Chloe could do anything, Trixie was already pulling her hand off her grasp and running all the way across the room and hugging Michael like she did with Lucifer. The Archangel froze on the spot and was desperately looking around in midst of Lucifer laughs.

 

She had to confess that it was quite amusing, how Michael was as inadept with children as his twin brother. But Trixie didn’t mind, in fact, she declared in the following weeks that Michael was one of her best friends together with Maze and Lucifer, the latter declaring he never knew he had agreed with such a thing, something Trixie ignored completely and would drag the Devil to play games with her and Michael.

 

It was funny to watch the Devil comply with a child wishes, and see the almighty Michael sitting for tea parties. Despite Lucifer’s attempts to be away from his brother, her daughter’s games with the twins made them talk, for real, for at least a couple of minutes every day.

 

Despite all that, and the differences between all of them, some things started to get a little better with that forced co-habitation they were in. Linda and Maze’s relationship started to slowly heal because of Linda’s gentle and wise words with the demoness regarding Michael – it was obvious to all to see that Michael’s presence was irking Maze to the extreme, no one had forgotten what she said about she being filling Michael’s void in Lucifer’s life – and the therapist was helping Maze navigate through those difficult feelings, despite the demoness blatant denial.

 

Lucifer and Dan’s friendship was flourishing beautifully in spite of the still common exchange of words the two always had, with Lucifer joking something about Dan, and Dan giving him one of his snarky replies. Ella was as energetic and cheery as always and was straightening her friendship with everyone, despite that sometimes Chloe would spot a troubled expression she would quickly hide.

 

Amenadiel, as well as Chloe, was trying to keep the order in their new house, even more after Charlotte joined them after her confrontation with Lucifer and Amenadiel when she heard all the things about angel wings, and Amenadiel, that didn’t know she was alive, met her by coincidence and spilled the beans about her being their mother for a while. Charlotte was another good addition to their living arrangement, she had a knack to control the celestial siblings, quite motherly in fact, and it helped a lot to keep them in control when needed.

 

Chloe was brought back from her musings when an Officer dropped another file on her table. Sighing softly, she opened the new file, however, her mind was flying once again to the things that happened in those two months. Things in the precinct went back to normal as much as it could go, with the other cops and detectives getting used to this new reality and despite still treating Lucifer with certain apprehension they got more relaxed with him.

 

They started asking him all kinds of questions though.

 

“Should I go to a church?”

 

“No, not necessary.”

 

“Adam and Eve?”

 

“The biblical ones never existed, evolution is real. They are Cain and Abel’s parents though.”

 

“Cain really existed?”

 

“Yes. He very much does.”

 

“The Bible, it was real then?”

 

“Some things, but most of the things are fictional blabbing made by sexually frustrated misogynist fellows, but Jesus stories are more real, although they distorted some of my half-brother words for their own gains.”

 

“Then you never tempted people to sin?”

 

“No, is all on you. I never do anyone do anything, I’m Free Will team, not manipulation one, I can reveal your deepest desire though.”

 

“Jesus is your brother?”

 

“Half-brother, yes.”

 

“Am I going to Hell because I’m gay?”

 

“No, definitely not!”

 

“Should I start praying?”

 

“No, that’s not a guarantee of stepping on Silver City, do good things, be good, regret bad actions, and be a decent person is enough.”

 

 “I didn’t believe in God, this means I will go to hell?”

 

“No!”

 

“I’m a Wicca/Muslim/Buddhist…”

 

“It doesn’t matter. You believed in what you want to believe, or don’t believe in anything, that’s the beauty of Free Will. Dad has many names and forms, and whichever you believe is all good. It all depends on the choices you make if you are a decent person. So, no, loving sex, food, or money don’t lend you in Hell, is what you do to have it that matter, if you chose to do it while being a decent person, congrats, Silver City waits for you. Now, no more questions.”

 

Chloe remembered his face when he decided he had enough questions and how her co-workers scattered like leaves blow by the wind.

 

Something that didn’t change that much was their partnership, with the only excepting that when Lucifer asked her to step back, which was rare, she did, because she knew he would be back without a scratch. Although she would feel slightly restless while waiting, however, she knew she could trust Lucifer those times, and he always called her when things were controlled. But in between the new living arrangements and work, she didn’t have time to discuss her relationship with Lucifer after she discovered all the truth about what happened after her poisoning, and the Archangel didn’t make any effort to speak about it either.

 

But she was cutting him some slack because of the whole situation with his twin and that supposed war happening in Heaven, despite the lack of evidence to support it, he had a lot on his plate at that moment. Everything they gathered from Michael’s appearance were inconclusive at the best, only leaving a fascinated Ella with the Angel’s DNA and she was spending most of her free time analyzing it together with some samples from Amenadiel, that despite having grown quite human had all the traces of divine if you knew what to look for.

 

That’s why Amenadiel could hear the call but couldn’t attend to it, with his half-human condition he was stuck in the mortal plane, at least it was what Amenadiel understood of his condition with his limited information about his case.

 

Chloe signed again and placed the file back on her desk and grabbed her phone this time half-expecting to find a bunch of messages from Lucifer, but none was waiting for her, what she found odd. Because it was the first time in weeks Lucifer was alone with his twin brother, and both taking care of Trixie in her free day from school – Chloe didn’t have many options that day with every responsible adult having a previous appointment to attend to.

 

She could only hope things were okay at the penthouse, for all the involved, and most importantly for Trixie, but she had faith that her little girl would be able to deal with those brothers. After all, she was a Decker.

 

* * *

 

 

Trixie hummed while she looked at her cards and spared a quick glance at her two opponents, one had a very concentrated look on his face while the other held a smug smile on his lips. She giggled lightly and played her 4+ card and watched with satisfaction the smug smile of Lucifer disappears when he groaned.

 

“I want red.” She grinned.

 

“You play dirty, child.” He said grudgingly while grabbing four cards from the card pile at the center.

 

Michael that was already holding a lot of cards sighed heavily and grabbed another card from the pile.

 

“She does…” the other Archangel said.

 

“Nah, you are just horrible in this game, Michael.” The Devil said, glaring at the card Trixie just placed on top of the second pile of cards in the center of the table. He gambled when he had to grab another card from the first pile of cards.

 

“How can I be horrible in something that requires more luck than actual thought?” He said while placing the same number but in a yellow card.

 

“Figure it out, master of strategy.”

 

“I'm a master of military strategy, brother.”

 

“Apparently not a good one...”

 

Trixie giggled again at their constant bickering and placed another card on the table, receiving a glare from both Archangels because she changed the color back to red.

 

“I think the both of you are really bad in this game.” She flashed them a toothy grin.

 

“Spawn,” Lucifer narrowed his eyes while looking at her “you knew that, haven’t you? That’s why you proposed a deal, isn’t it?”

 

Michael also looked curiously at Trixie when his brother mentioned the deal the girl made with them at the beginning of the game.

 

“Of course.” She admitted shamelessly.

 

Lucifer snorted and grabbed another card from the neat pile of cards, he finally grinned in excitement when he placed a red card on top of Trixie’s. Michael groaned and grabbed another card to joining the pile he already was accumulating in his hand. Trixie placed another card on top of Lucifer’s.

 

“Uno!” She exclaimed with one of her biggest smiles.

 

Both Archangels groaned, both moving at the same time to grab another card from the neat pile, and Trixie smiled brightly when she saw that none made a move to place a card on top of hers, she placed her last card and smiled triumphantly.

 

“Now, the deal.” Trixie clasped her hands together and rubbed them in excitement.

 

“This isn’t a fair win, urchin.” Lucifer protested.

 

“It was, I didn’t cheat.”

 

“She is right Sa… Lucifer.”

 

“I didn’t ask your opinion, Michael.”

 

“Lucifer, a deal is a deal,” Trixie said seriously and glared at the Devil so much like her mother it creeped Lucifer out just a bit. “You are going to sit and talk with Michael, really talk.” The child said sternly.

 

“Why do you even care, child?” Lucifer glared back. And Michael had to agree with his twin.

 

“Because the two of you are my friends.” She said simply. “And, besides, you are acting like me and Lucy when we fought once, it was only when we were forced to talk we discovered it was all a misunderstanding.”

 

Michael and Lucifer stared at the little girl with their mouths slightly hanging open. The Devil was the first one to shake his head and clear his throat.

 

“What happened between us wasn’t a simple misunderstanding, Beatrice…”

 

“But you still need to talk about it.” She interrupted the Archangel. “And you promised, and your words are your bond,” Trixie said while she was gathering the cards of the game. “You are family, and family is supposed to be there for each other…” She lifted her eyes to stare directly into the Devil’s eyes. “He needs you.” The last words left her mouth with conviction.

 

Not waiting for their answers, she walked off the living room in direction of her room, leaving the two Archangels alone, a small smile ghosting her lips.

 

* * *

 

 

Linda just finished her last appointment that morning when her door opened with a bang startling the blond therapist to the extreme. However, she calmed just a bit when she saw Maze walk in.

 

“Maze, is everything okay?” Linda asked gently when the demoness sat on her couch. Despite things being better now that they were living together, Linda was still treading carefully with Maze.

 

“No.” Maze sighed and placed her face in her hands. “I want him gone.”

 

Linda knew well who Maze was speaking and she straightened her back and looked at her friend attentively and gently.

 

“Maze… Why do you want him gone?”

 

Maze lifted her eyes with a sharp glare directed at her friend. “You know well, he can hurt Lucifer again.”

 

Linda sighed and reached for Maze’s hand and grasped it. “No, it’s not because of it. What is the real reason, Maze?” She squeezed the demoness hand, receiving another glare from the denizen of Hell, but Linda kept staring back.

 

Maze stayed silent for a long while until she finally lowered her eyes and spoke quietly, in a tone that despite the silence in the room was difficult for Linda to catch, but she did.

 

“I don’t want to lose my place in Lucifer’s life if he comes back…”

 

Linda felt her heart squeeze painfully, she remembered well when Maze spoke with such certainty that she knew Lucifer created her to fill his twin place in his life. She couldn’t bare imagine how it would be to live with such a thing hanging out there, shadowing something she had in such esteem. 

 

“Maze, in the beginning, you were probably that, but now… Now I do believe you are much more than even Lucifer realize you are for him. Do not underestimate yourself, Maze.” The therapist said with conviction, however, Maze laughed bitterly.

 

“Underestimate me?  I know pretty well where I’m for people, Linda. I’m never the first choice, no one cares enough. Am I more to Lucifer than he thinks? Bullshit.” The demoness pulled her hand back and gets up, ready to run.

 

“That’s not true, you are the first choice of Trixie, and I chose you in my relationship with Amenadiel,” Linda spoke before Maze could exit.

 

“After when? After you lied to me, Linda.”

 

“I know, and I will pay for this for the rest of my life, but I’m here for you, so is Trixie, Chloe, Ella, Charlotte, Dan, Amenadiel, and Lucifer.” Linda also stood up from her seat. “You are loved, Maze. Just talk to him.”

 

The demoness, that had stopped a few inches from the door, finally stepped out not indicating if she had listened to her or not. But Linda knew, deep down, she had. She just needed time.

 

* * *

 

 

Michael watched as his brother played a song on the piano, he always liked to watch Samael play since they were young fledglings. It was a sad song that spoke about bittersweet memories, and Michael knew deep down it was related to something about them.

 

Lucifer hasn’t spoken to him since small Beatrice left them and he knew his brother was stalling the conversation without actually breaking the deal he made with the little girl. But Michael knew they couldn’t stay like that any longer, he didn’t remember what he did, but he knew that pain of missing his brother was real, the memories were gone, but not the emotions.

 

The Archangel of War walked to the bar his brother liked so much and grabbed a tumbler and filled it with one of the Scotch his brother was so fond of and shyly approached his twin and placed the cup on top of the piano as a peace offering. The Devil glanced at the tumbler and him briefly while he finished the piece he was playing.

 

It took another minute or so until Lucifer touched the last piano’s key and the note rang in the living room for him to actually turn his full attention to Michael, who was waiting with his hands behind his back while looking at his feet. The Archangel of Desire sighed heavily and grabbed the tumbler taking a long sip of the drink and stood up.

 

“What happened between us won’t solve with a cup of scotch, a band-aid and a kiss better, Michael.” Lucifer walked to his ceiling-high windows and stared at the City of Angels under him. “And the worst part is that you even remember it…” He took another sip of his drink.

 

Michael sighed and bowed his head even more. “I know… I don’t remember it… But I feel it, Samael.”

 

“Do not call me that!” Lucifer snapped, and Michael flinched.

 

“You will always be Samael, Lucifer.” The Archangel of War lifted his head and stared at the tense back of his twin.

 

“I wasn’t anymore when you threw me out of Silver City, Michael.” Lucifer turned around and glared at his twin. “I chose a name for me, and you will call me that, brother.”

 

Michael sighed and looked at his brother Sumerian wall. “You continue to be a bloody stubborn.”

 

“And you a bloody stupid.” Michael almost smiled, however, he decided to say something that was nagging him since he spotted his brother that day he woke up to no memory and out of Silver City.

 

“I’m sorry, Lucifer, for everything.”

 

Lucifer cocked his head slightly sideways and stared at his brother for a long while.

 

“You can’t ask sorry for something you don’t remember, Michael.”

 

“I don’t… But I feel it, Lucifer. I feel what it made with me, and I need to ask your forgiveness.” He answers with such earnest that the Devil could only recognize the truth behind it.

 

“It’s not easy…” Lucifer tried to be indifferent, but he felt the pull, the one he has been ignoring the last two months, come stronger.

 

“Let me try, please.” Michael pleaded.

 

“Fine.” He answered simply. It wasn’t the answer the other Archangel was expecting; however, it was something.

 

Michael smiled, but didn’t walk the few meters that separated them, he was going to take one step at a time. And maybe one day he wasn’t going to feel that regret anymore, he wouldn’t feel that pain anymore.

 

* * *

 

 

She was watching the interaction from her place in the shadows, one of the human feelings she hated so much punching directly in her gut. She balled one of her hands and stepped further into the shadows when Lucifer’s eyes traveled in her direction.

 

Maze hated it, she hated that stupid Archangel. She glared at Michael’s back before she turned around and walked to where she came from, disappearing into the shadows where it was her place.

 

She was always going to be his shadow.

 

She was Michael’s shadow.

 

And for the first time in millennia that hurt.

 

She hated those pesky feelings.

 

She hated Michael more.

 

As silently as Maze entered the penthouse she left, and she didn’t know if she was going to come back so soon. She needed something strong, something far away from LUX and that stupid Archangel. Away from Lucifer… Away from his twin.

 

She missed home. She needed home.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry for taking so long, but this chapter was quite tricky. I wrote it three times until I was actually satisfied with it, and I had to change my initial idea because it wasn’t working ><
> 
> I hoped you liked my final version though, I put a lot of thought into it, and do expect the next two chapters are going to be, more or less, into this vibe while I pave our way to our juicy stuff. 
> 
> Meanwhile, if you want to talk to me follow me on my Tumblr (@limonath), or just leave a question (I will love to answer them). Coming next is You Know Me second chapter ^^ 
> 
> See you soon~ 
> 
> Nath :*


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